diff --git a/core/runtime/src/start_prototype.rs b/core/runtime/src/start_prototype.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ed0206b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/runtime/src/start_prototype.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+// The `start` symbol must be written purely in assembly, because it has an ABI
+// that the Rust compiler doesn't know (e.g. it does not expect the stack to be
+// set up). One way to write a correct `start` implementation is to write it in
+// Rust using the C ABI, compile that implementation, then tweak the assembly by
+// hand. This is a Rust version of `start` for developers who are working on
+// `start`.
+//
+// This file is not compiled by default; it must be included manually by adding
+// `mod start_prototype;` to `lib.rs`.
+
+#[repr(C)]
+struct RtHeader {
+    start: usize,
+    initial_break: usize,
+    stack_top: usize,
+    data_size: usize,
+    data_flash_start: *const u32,
+    data_ram_start: *mut u32,
+    bss_size: usize,
+    bss_start: *mut u8,
+}
+
+#[link_section = ".start"]
+#[no_mangle]
+extern fn start_prototype(
+    rt_header: &RtHeader,
+    _memory_start: usize,
+    _memory_len: usize,
+    _app_break: usize,
+) -> ! {
+    use crate::TockSyscalls;
+    use libtock_platform::{OneArgMemop, RawSyscalls, YieldType};
+
+    let pc: usize;
+    #[cfg(target_arch = "riscv32")]
+    unsafe {
+        asm!("auipc {}, 0", lateout(reg) pc, options(nomem, nostack, preserves_flags));
+    }
+    if pc != rt_header.start {
+        // Binary is in an incorrect location: report an error via
+        // LowLevelDebug.
+        unsafe {
+            TockSyscalls::four_arg_syscall(8, 1, 2, 0, 2);
+        }
+        // TODO: Replace with an Exit call when exit is implemented.
+        loop {
+            TockSyscalls::raw_yield(YieldType::Wait);
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Set the app break.
+    // TODO: Replace with Syscalls::memop_brk() when that is implemented.
+    TockSyscalls::one_arg_memop(OneArgMemop::Brk, rt_header.initial_break);
+
+    // Set the stack pointer.
+    #[cfg(target_arch = "riscv32")]
+    unsafe {
+        asm!("mv sp, {}", in(reg) rt_header.stack_top, options(nomem, preserves_flags));
+    }
+
+    // Copy .data into place. Uses a manual loop rather than
+    // `core::ptr::copy*()` to avoid relying on `memcopy` or `memmove`.
+    let mut remaining = rt_header.data_size;
+    let mut src = rt_header.data_flash_start;
+    let mut dest = rt_header.data_ram_start;
+    while remaining > 0 {
+        unsafe {
+            core::ptr::write(dest, *(src));
+            src = src.add(1);
+            dest = dest.add(1);
+        }
+        remaining -= 4;
+    }
+
+    // Zero .bss. Uses a manual loop and volatile write to avoid relying on
+    // `memset`.
+    let mut remaining = rt_header.bss_size;
+    let mut dest = rt_header.bss_start;
+    while remaining > 0 {
+        unsafe {
+            core::ptr::write_volatile(dest, 0);
+            dest = dest.add(1);
+        }
+        remaining -= 1;
+    }
+
+    extern {
+        fn rust_start() -> !;
+    }
+
+    unsafe { rust_start(); }
+}